diff --git a/src/corelib/thread/qthread_unix.cpp b/src/corelib/thread/qthread_unix.cpp
index 88d24b6493f..647b64775a4 100644
--- a/src/corelib/thread/qthread_unix.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/thread/qthread_unix.cpp
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ QThreadData *QThreadData::current(bool createIfNecessary)
         data = new QThreadData;
         QT_TRY {
             set_thread_data(data);
-            data->thread = new QAdoptedThread(data);
+            data->thread.storeRelease(new QAdoptedThread(data));
         } QT_CATCH(...) {
             clear_thread_data();
             data->deref();
diff --git a/src/corelib/thread/qthread_win.cpp b/src/corelib/thread/qthread_win.cpp
index 0fba38d250b..1c5b5bf965a 100644
--- a/src/corelib/thread/qthread_win.cpp
+++ b/src/corelib/thread/qthread_win.cpp
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ QThreadData *QThreadData::current(bool createIfNecessary)
         // avoid recursion.
         TlsSetValue(qt_current_thread_data_tls_index, threadData);
         QT_TRY {
-            threadData->thread = new QAdoptedThread(threadData);
+            threadData->thread.storeRelease(new QAdoptedThread(threadData));
         } QT_CATCH(...) {
             TlsSetValue(qt_current_thread_data_tls_index, 0);
             threadData->deref();
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ QThreadData *QThreadData::current(bool createIfNecessary)
                     0,
                     FALSE,
                     DUPLICATE_SAME_ACCESS);
-            qt_watch_adopted_thread(realHandle, threadData->thread);
+            qt_watch_adopted_thread(realHandle, threadData->thread.loadRelaxed());
         }
     }
     return threadData;